Majority of detenus prefer not to vote

A majority of suspects detained under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Slum Grabbers and Video Pirates Act and lodged in prisons across the State have preferred not to exercise their franchise in the ensuing Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

According to Prison department sources, of the 450 detenus only 65 expressed their willingness to vote through the postal ballot system.

Apparently, two factors are holding them back from volunteering to vote.

“First is the fear of getting exposed with regard to party affiliations as they think agents in polling booths might have access to postal ballots. Secondly, one has to furnish the original address for verification and inclusion in voters' list. Many suspects do not want law-enforcing agencies to know their original address for various reasons,” a prison official said.

When the Prison authorities took up the cases of 65 detenus who wanted to vote, only three names were found in the voters' list. “Further verification has revealed that only three of the 65 detenus have their names in the voters' list. We are taking up the case of others with the officials concerned,” he added.

A circular was sent to all prisons recently intimating detenus about the forthcoming elections and asking for their willingness to vote. Prison officials say remand prisoners, who are in judicial custody, and convicts are not eligible to cast their vote.